


can you keep me close, can you love me most?

by soldouthaz



Series: holiday drabbles [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: BUT DO NOT LOOK HERE IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED, Christmas fic, DO NOT READ TAGS IF YOU DO NOT WANT SPOILERS, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, No Smut, SPOILERS AHEAD, Teacher Louis, but it is not necessary, did I hide the spoiler tag well enough, okay now, proposal, read part one of this series first for more context, tagging so that people can find this kind of fic when they search, very minor allusion to implied smut at the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:22:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27987648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soldouthaz/pseuds/soldouthaz
Summary: “I’m so sorry, Harry. This was supposed to be our night and we were going to eat and then walk around the city and-”“Lou, it’s alright,” Harry says, “seriously. We can always make another reservation. Don’t worry about it, love.”“I know, just -” Louis cuts himself off with a sigh.He knows they can reschedule. It’s not so much that he cares about the reservation, really, or any of the food. His students are so important to him and he’d always drop anything to help them, except that he sort of - well, Louis sort of thought Harry would propose tonight.--(holiday drabbles // vol. ii)
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: holiday drabbles [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040269
Comments: 33
Kudos: 182





	can you keep me close, can you love me most?

**Author's Note:**

> hello all! this is the second installment of the holiday drabbles series! this one is a continuation from my very first fic [nothing worsens, nothing grows](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21405676), which you can read as the first part of this series if you'd like to try it out/re-read before this one! also random note - I have no preference on last names, I just chose the one I felt fit with this particular fic! (if this doesn't make sense now it will after you read!) 
> 
> anyway, thank you again to the lovely Chelsea for beta-ing this for me and for being wonderful! I hope you all enjoy it this little piece of Christmas fluff :) thank you for clicking, and happy reading!

By the time the final bell rings, Louis’ more than ready to head home to Harry. The school hallways are buzzing with teenagers ready to get out for winter break and Louis, despite being their teacher, is feeling the excitement all the same. 

Because of the way their schedule fell this year, they’re getting out on Christmas Eve instead of the week prior. Louis’ got a stack of birthday presents behind his desk, handmade cards and other crafts piled high. He swore he wouldn’t read them until he got home, because he knows he’ll cry for sure. 

Usually he has kids sticking around the theatre room after school, either until their parents pick them up or until they feel like leaving, but today they’d all rushed out the door as soon as possible, enthusiastic well wishes on their lips as they left. Louis waved at each of them and hugged the few that came to say goodbye, then packed up his own things in record time. 

The Christmas production they’d been planning for months had been fantastic. For an entire week they’d sold out every show, right here in the school cafeteria. It wasn’t Louis’ first play, but it’s by far the one he’s most proud of. His students had choreographed everything themselves and worked with Louis on nearly every aspect, and Louis still has people sending in their praises. It was all them, he tells everyone with a smile. 

Tightening his coat around his shoulders, he locks up his classroom door and straightens the ‘Mr. T’ sign that one of his students made for him, wrapped in silver tinsel for some added holiday cheer. 

The scarf Harry bought him last year is circled around his neck but the cold still seeps in, making his cheeks rosy and his hands a bit numb where he’s carrying his case of paperwork he still needs to look over. He quickly unlocks the car and tosses everything into the passenger seat, getting himself inside afterward and cranking the heat on. 

As he pulls out of the school parking lot the sun is just beginning to set, the clouds soft white against the oranges, pinks, and blues blended behind them. The roads are frosted on the sides and the trees weighed down with the white, and his mouth falls open just a bit at the sight he only gets to see once a year, if that. 

He can’t help but let the serenity of it wash over him, the fluttering feeling that something really, really good is about to happen. 

+

It isn’t often that Louis wears a suit, but tonight feels like a special occasion. 

He feels like he’s glowing as Harry opens his door and helps him out of his seat, a hand placed on his back as he leads them into the restaurant. They’re over on the fancier side of town tonight, where there are lights strung up high above the streets and people rushing to get out of the cold weather. 

“After you, love,” Harry smiles, holding open the door to the steakhouse. 

“Thank you,” Louis exaggeratedly curtsies, delighting in the way Harry chuckles at his antics as they step inside. 

His hand slips from Louis’ waist to his hand and tangles their fingers together as they step up to the host table. “Good evening. Reservation for Styles?” he asks. 

“Oh, good evening!” the woman glances up at them from where she’d been organizing the menus. “Ah, yes, you’re right here! Right this way, sirs.” 

Louis can’t even help the way his cheeks burn from his grin as they walk to their table. He feels giddy, light, with either the holiday spirit or just Harry in general, happy to be spending time together even if they saw each other just this morning. 

“Here you are,” she says, holding an arm out toward a secluded corner booth. “A server will be with you shortly.” 

“Thank you,” he and Harry say at the same time. Before he can sit down, Harry helps him slide his coat off and lays it on the back of the booth, stroking Louis’ cheek as he unwraps his scarf. 

With a blush that’s no longer from the cold, Louis smiles into his own chest and sits down, thumbing open the fancy menu and scanning his eyes over the options. 

“What’re you getting?” he asks Harry. 

“Well,” Harry hums, eyes flicking up to Louis mischievously, “I was thinking maybe we start with dessert.” 

Louis’ lips twitch again. “I like your thinking.” 

He sits back and crosses his legs as the server comes back and Harry orders their wine and chocolate cake. The restaurant isn’t crowded yet by any means, so it doesn’t take long for it to be sitting on the table in front of them. 

“So, how was school today?” Harry raises a brow, taking a sip of his drink. 

“Long,” Louis laughs. “I’m just glad that we don’t have to worry about the play anymore. It was so much fun but - God, I’ve never been that tired in my  _ life. _ ” 

“I know, you were working late nearly every night,” Harry agrees. “Anyone could tell it was worth it, though. It was fantastic, Lou.” 

“Well, thank you,” Louis smiles. “It was all my kids.” 

“Not all,” Harry shakes his head. “They’re wonderful, but you can’t sell yourself short, Lou. I know how hard you worked on that and everything else.” He reaches across the table and cradles the side of Louis’ face in his hand, stroking over his lips and his cheek. “Just one of the many things I love about you.” 

A bit breathless, Louis swallows around the emotion in his throat and averts his eyes. What the hell is he supposed to say to  _ that? _ Even after all this time Harry still has a way of making him absolutely speechless. 

“What - what about you? How was your shoot?” 

Cutting a piece of cake and holding it up for Louis to eat off of the fork, Harry leans away again and hums. 

“It was alright. Some of the younger artists are just really entitled,” he sighs. “But I have to say, I made them look pretty good,” Harry smiles, bragging. 

Harry majored in music studies but he’s always had such a passion for photography as well. When he was offered a job at an up and coming label he’d been ecstatic. It hadn’t been all he thought it would be though, and Harry resigned when he realized that that portion of the industry just wasn’t for him. 

Less than two months later, their in-house photographer quit for another company, and they’d called him back for that position instead. Now he does shoots for some of the most popular artists on the charts, and his work has been on many magazine covers at this point. Louis couldn’t be any more proud of him. 

The chocolate cake is delicious, and Louis moans around the forkful in his mouth. They could probably make roughly the same thing at home, but Louis rarely ever splurges on anything. 

That, and Harry looks  _ damn _ good in a suit, and he’d never turn down a chance to see him all dressed up. 

“You’ve got a bit-” Harry gestures toward Louis’ mouth. “Here, let me.” 

With a hand keeping his suit jacket from touching the cake, Harry stands and leans completely over the table to press his lips to the corner of Louis’ mouth, licking the bit of chocolate cake from his skin. Louis chases his lips as he retreats. 

Before he can make a fool of himself and beg for more, his ringtone sounds from his coat pocket. Harry reaches behind him and fishes it out, handing it across the table. 

His brows furrow when he reads the name flashing across the screen. Adrian is one of his students that he always works with for the tech portions of the show like the lighting and music, and Louis’ first thought is that something might be wrong with the technology. 

“Hello?” he answers. “Adrian? Is everything alright?” 

“Hey, Mr. T,” Adrian sighs. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I really need some help. I was trying to put something together for one of my friend’s Christmas gifts and I think I really messed up the projector in the theatre room.” 

Louis rubs absently at his temple. This is the downside of trusting his students with a key to the classroom, even if they  _ are _ incredibly smart and hardworking most of the time. 

“Alright,” Louis nods. “Give me an hour or so, I’ll wrap up and head back to the school. Can you wait for me?” 

“For sure,” Adrian says. “Thanks, Mr. T!” 

“It’s not a problem. I’ll see you soon, Adrian.” 

Hanging up and setting his phone back down on the table, Louis eyes the rest of the chocolate cake solemnly. Another time, he supposes. 

“Do we need to leave?” Harry murmurs, finishing the last of his red wine. 

“I’m afraid so,” he nods, taking the folded napkin out of his lap again. “I’m so sorry, Harry. This was supposed to be our night and we were going to eat and then walk around the city and-” 

“Lou, it’s alright,” Harry says, “seriously. We can always make another reservation. Don’t worry about it, love.” 

“I know, just -” Louis cuts himself off with a sigh. 

He knows they can reschedule. It’s not so much that he cares about the reservation, really, or any of the food. His students are so important to him and he’d always drop anything to help them, except that he sort of - well, Louis sort of thought Harry would propose tonight. 

They both have stable jobs now and they’re more than settled into their high rise apartment that overlooks the city. Their drawers are shared and their toothbrushes in the same holder, and more often than not Louis accidentally puts on Harry’s socks in a rush and drowns in them all day long. They cook dinner together most nights and they still go on dates, still all over each other even though their friends have all left the honeymoon phase by this point. 

They’re painfully domestic in all of the best ways and Louis craves that final push, that confirmation of forever. He’s the happiest he’s ever been in his entire life, closer with his family and more in tune with himself as well, and if Harry doesn’t ask him soon Louis’ afraid he might just go get a ring and do it himself. 

But it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen tonight, so. With one last resigned exhale, Louis watches Harry explain the situation to the waitress and slips his coat back on. The school is all the way back on the other side of town, it’s going to take them at least forty-five minutes to get there, and that’s if they don’t run into the nighttime traffic. Louis’ careful with his scarf as he wraps it back up again to prepare for the cold. 

Chocolate cake wrapped up in a to-go box in his hand, Harry’s still smiling as he returns and walks them back to the door. 

“I’m really sorry, Haz,” he says, even more guilty as Harry helps him back into the car. 

“Louis,” he leans down, pressing a warm kiss to his cheek, “stop apologizing to me. I love you and I want to spend your birthday with you. I don’t care what we’re doing.” 

Grabbing onto the front of his collar to pull him back down into a proper kiss, Louis exhales into his lips. “I love you.” 

Harry grins in response and crosses around to the driver’s side again to take them to the school. The seatbelt stretches across his chest and Louis hurries to turn on the heated seat, stuffing his hands back into his flannel lined pockets. 

“Did he say what was wrong?” Harry asks, flicking on the radio as a Christmas song fills the car. 

“Yeah, he said he was trying to make a Christmas present for a friend and he broke the projector,” Louis explains, watching the lights blur together outside the window and eventually disappear as they leave the city once more. “I knew better than to give him a key, but they’re such good kids, you know? And the entire crew is so brilliant with all of that technology for the shows and I trust them so much.” 

“I’m sure it’s nothing too bad,” Harry nods. “He seems like a good kid.” 

“Yeah,” Louis breathes. 

He knows he’s acting ungrateful, sagging into his seat and pouting like a child, but it’s got nothing to do with the broken projector. Louis flexes his fingers in his pocket, rubbing them together and imagining what it would feel like if there was a ring there. 

“You alright?” Harry checks, glancing at him from the corner of his eye. 

“I’m perfect,” Louis attempts a genuine smile, “I’m with you, aren’t I?” 

And that’s the truth, he reasons. He doesn’t need anything to prove their love for each other, not when he got lucky enough to have someone like Harry in his life. 

It’s his birthday, and tomorrow is Christmas, and dammit - Louis’ going to be grateful for this wonderful life that he’s built for himself. He raises Harry’s hand to his lips and kisses the back of it, hoping he can feel what it means. 

+

“Where is he,” Louis mutters to himself. 

There’d been no cars in the parking lot and no light left on at the school. Using Harry’s flashlight on his phone, they’d unlocked the outside door and slipped into the pitch black hallway. 

“I don’t even see anyone,” Louis whispers. “He’s not answering my texts. Should we just head home?” 

“No, let’s keep looking,” Harry insists, clearing his throat. “He’s gotta be around here somewhere.” 

Louis’ in the middle of tossing him a confused glance at his loud voice and nervous twitching when the lights flicker on around them, but not the regular hallway lights. 

No, this isn’t what the school looked like only hours ago when he left. Fairy lights are strung out lining the lockers, a string underneath with photos hanging on by wooden clips. Louis gasps and swallows, spinning around to look at Harry. 

Only, Harry’s no longer there. Louis glances side to side, eyeing the doors that he could have gone through, but his eyes land on the big red arrow in front of him. With one last look over his shoulder, he takes a deep breath and steps forward. 

He has to pause several times as he walks to look at all of the pictures, lifting a hand to run it across the glossy surface of the ones he so vividly remembers taking. 

The first ones are all from their trip. The ones from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Statue of Liberty in New York. Then there are the ones Harry took on his own camera, shots of Louis on a picnic blanket with ketchup on the side of his mouth, another few in central park. Lastly there’s the one of them in Times Square. Liam’s camera skills are extremely limited but the slight blur of it makes it seem that much more nostalgic, bittersweet smiles on their faces and the peaks of their matching tattoos showing from that day. 

At the end of the row there’s a single note card. 

_ Lou,  _

_ Remember these? It seems like a lifetime ago that we went on this trip. I was so nervous for so many reasons. I was nervous to talk to you, nervous that you would hate me. Then we got to know each other and I was nervous that you wouldn’t want me as much as I’d always wanted you. And then, after I had you, I was terrified at the thought of letting you go. _

Louis’ hand presses to his heart, tears filling his eyes. He wishes he could tell Harry right now that he felt the exact same way in that moment, that he never wanted to give up what they’d happened to stumble upon on that trip. 

Taking a calming breath, Louis re-clips the note and moves forward, following the next arrow. He’s walked these hallways a million times before but it all looks completely different now, with flowers and lights and photos. He turns the corner and continues. 

The next set of pictures lined across the lockers are from the year after the trip. First Louis sees one of him laying on the floor of his old apartment, from the day Harry came to visit him after they got home. There’s another next to it of Louis’ admittance into the teaching program hung up on the fridge, and another one of their shoes together beside the front door. A few more candids of Louis follow, one of him outside trying to block the sun and another of them holding hands, before he reaches the next notecard. 

_ But I didn’t have to let you go. I should’ve known I wouldn’t be able to stay away for long. I still have a scar on the back of my leg from tripping at the airport on the way, but I would’ve made that trip a thousand times over again if it meant having you in my arms, my little prince.  _

Louis outright sobs at that one, grinning through his tears as he remembers the book -  _ their _ book. It’s still sat up in their study at the flat, and sometimes late at night he catches Harry flicking through it again to get to Louis’ note, running his fingers over the letters. 

It’s more difficult than the last time to leave the note hanging there but he does, wiping his eyes with the back of his wrists and continuing on. There’s only one last hallway now, the doors to the gym at the very end. Louis’ heartbeat skips. 

On the final set of lockers there are only a few prints. First there’s one of Louis standing in front of the door to their current apartment, their keys and the new lease in his hand. 

Next, there’s one of him and Harry with Louis’ entire family, each of them pulling funny faces and poses. He remembers taking that like it was yesterday. Although it’d been the first time Harry met his family, it seemed like they’d known each other forever. 

And then there’s several clipped together. Brows furrowed, Louis grabs them off of the clip and holds them in his hand to look through them. 

He laughs loudly and presses his hand to his lips to cover it, eyeing the smaller prints. 

In his hands are about ten photos Harry’s taken over the last few months, the first one dated January of this year. It’s a photo taken from behind Louis’ back, they all are, with Harry holding the open ring box behind him. 

“ _ Idiot, _ ” Louis scoffs fondly. 

They’re all consecutive, blurry, quick shots in their kitchen, in the park, in their bedroom, on the patio, on the stairs, in the lift - everywhere. Louis can’t believe he hadn’t caught him once. 

He shuffles through the rest of them but doesn’t find one for December. Frowning again, he glances up to see what else is hung on the string. 

_ You’re it for me, Lou. I made the decision a long time ago, but now I think we’re both in a place where this just feels really right. If you’ll have me, I want to spend the rest of our lives adding to these memories. It’s only the beginning, baby.  _

That’s the last thing. 

Louis looks around for anything else, the only other light coming from the last arrow pointing to the gym. 

Cautiously, Louis steps forward in what feels like slow motion, his heart stuttering in his chest as he presses a hand against the wooden door. Something in him feels alight, the silence deafening as he listens for any little movement. Excitement flickers in his stomach. 

Could this be…? 

As the door pushes open, a spotlight swings to him. The lights in the gym are dimmed all around, small candles lit in various places around the room. There are people all around him, watching, but it’s too dark to see any of their faces properly. 

The one thing he  _ can _ see is Harry. He’s up on the stage, a light on him as well, still dressed in his suit and handsome as ever. Several people that he soon realizes are his own students come up around him, pushing him gently in the direction of the middle of the floor. 

“Louis,” Harry begins. 

“Oh, shit,” Louis chuckles, already feeling entirely too emotional. He sniffs and wipes at his face with the back of his hand, blinking several times so his vision will clear. Harry laughs along with him at his reaction. 

“Louis,” he says again, “I wrote so many speeches for this and I threw out all of them because I just couldn’t - there’s just no way to describe how I feel about you,” Harry grins, his eyes twinkling. “So, I’m afraid you’re just going to have to listen to me ramble for a few minutes.” 

Dipping his chin to his chest, Louis laughs wetly. He can’t keep the fond off of his face as he glances back up again, watching Harry mirror his expression. He can’t seem to look away. 

“As much as I regret the fact that I don’t remember the night we met, I can promise you that I remember each and every single time I saw you after that. All it took was one time and I was hooked,” he grins, huffing. “I asked everyone I knew about you, I tried to sync our schedules so that I could talk to you. I even dated your friend so that I could see you more, but we won’t get into all of that again.” 

It seems crazy when Louis thinks about it - that seems like a different lifetime. A different person even. Harry’s helped him grow in so many ways and Louis knows he’s done the same for him in return. He’s just glad they’ve managed to figure it out. 

“I’ve been in love with you for a long time, Lou. With the way you’re so selfless, how you care so much about your family and your friends. You put everyone else before yourself and I know your students can attest to that,” Harry glances behind Louis at the rest of the small crowd gathered in front of the stage. 

Louis’ eyes follow, running over all of the familiar faces of kids he taught in the past and ones that are in his class now behind him. He chokes around a poorly repressed sob as he turns back to Harry, rolling his lips together and blinking again. 

“So I want to make a promise to you,” Harry adds softly. “Will you come up here with me?” 

Taking his outstretched hand, Louis steps up to the stage in slow motion. The lights aren’t harsh thanks to Adrian’s work up in the tech box, just enough to keep them illuminated amongst the candles set up around the room. 

Harry helps him step over the rose petals and stands in front of him in the middle of the stage, then slowly lowers himself down onto one knee. 

“I promise you that I’ll always make sure you’re happy. I promise to always take care of you to the best of my ability, to give you whatever you need. You deserve to have everything you want, Louis, and I hope I can spend every day for the rest of my life giving that to you.” 

“Harry,” Louis whimpers, squeezing his fingers hard where they’re tangled together. 

“Going on that trip was the best thing that ever happened to me, Lou. I know we still had a lot to figure out back then but I’ve been so in love with you for so long, and now that I get to have you, I - I don’t ever want to let you go,” Harry sniffs, emotional. “You’ve worked so hard for such a long time, Louis. For your family, for your friends, your students, and for me,” he strokes the back of Louis’ hand. “I want to be there to support you and to help you when you get tired, because that’s what you’ve always done for me.” 

Biting his own lip hard, Louis tries to stop his tears from spilling over yet. The  _ yes _ is already on the tip of his tongue, so much he could say to Harry in return but unsure if his voice would hold out. He nods enthusiastically. 

“There’s so much more that I could say right now - so much that I’m grateful for and that I love about you,” Harry smiles, “but I think I’ve rambled enough. You know how much I love you.” 

“I do,” Louis whispers. 

“Woah, at least let me ask first,” Harry snorts, sniffing back tears. 

“Asshole,” Louis mutters, his voice thick. He hopes Harry asks him soon, because his legs are just about to give out with his excitement. 

“Are you really calling the guy who’s about to propose to you an ass-” 

“ _ Harry, _ ” he hisses. 

“Right, right, okay,” Harry fumbles, digging the ring out of his pocket. His hand is shaking when he holds it up between them and Louis smiles at his nervousness, as  _ if _ he would say no. He clears his throat and then looks up at Louis again, eyes wide and glinting in the light. “Louis, would you-” he chokes, his bottom lip wobbling. 

Louis squeezes his hand again. “S’okay,” he grins, “ask me.” 

“You got this, man!” one of Louis’ students shouts. Several hollers and sounds of encouragement echo afterward and Louis stares at them in awe, waiting while Harry gets himself together. 

“I -  _ fuck, _ ” Harry curses quietly, wiping at his eyes. “I love you so much, Lou. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else. Would you - will you marry me?” 

He’d known it was coming but he isn’t prepared for how much the question hits him. At once his face twists up in what he’s sure is an incredibly unattractive way, tears leaking down the sides of his cheeks. For a moment he’s too overwhelmed to speak, looking into Harry’s hopeful eyes and hearing everyone hold their breath, and then he’s nodding. 

“Yes,” he gasps. “Yes, yes, yes!” 

It’s a blur as Harry slides the ring onto his finger and surges up to hug him. He’s lifted off of his feet as Harry picks him up and swings him around, confetti landing on their shoulders and the sound of everyone cheering in front of the stage. 

A bump on the back of his head has him pausing again, brows furrowed as he glances behind him. 

Another one of his students has the recording mic extended as far as it will go, tongue poking out of the corner of their mouth as they hold it out to the middle of the stage where he and Harry are standing. When Louis glances above his head, instead of a microphone, there’s a single piece of mistletoe. 

“Would you look at that,” Louis breathes, rolling his eyes fondly. 

“Well, it’s only right that we-” 

Harry doesn’t get to finish his sentence for Louis rushing forward and kissing him, hands on either side of his face. This time when he presses his fingers together he can feel the smooth, cold ring resting there. Harry’s heartbeat underneath his hand feels even better. 

“How did you know I always wanted a Christmas proposal?” Louis mumbles against his lips. 

“I didn’t,” Harry answers honestly, shrugging. “I just ran out of time to get you a gift. Figured this would do.” 

“Shut up,” Louis groans, burying his face in his chest. 

“Oi, let’s get this party started,” he hears a familiar voice echo in the theatre, his head whipping to look toward the door. 

Gathered in the back of the room behind his students, Louis’ family is grinning, his grandparents and siblings holding some of the empty confetti cannons and balloons. Next to them, Liam, Niall, and Zayn are still whooping, whistling and clapping at the stage. 

“Holy shit,” Louis breathes. “They’re all here.” 

“C’mon,” Harry tugs on his hand, helping him down the stairs again. 

Louis loves everyone in this room, and he can’t believe Harry got all of them together for this. He’s still grinning and giggling as they make it over to them, his siblings screaming and launching themselves at him and Harry. 

He clings to each of them even though he sees them several times a week, their homes only about a five minute drive from each other. The entire reason he came home. And he couldn’t be happier that Harry decided to follow him. 

Beside them are Harry’s own family, his mother, sister, and a few of his friends. Louis turns to them just as enthusiastically, embracing the people that he’s come to know as his own second family. He’s just so _ happy.  _

He takes his time showing off his ring, leaned tightly into Harry’s side. Just for tonight he’s going to let everyone fawn over him, hands on his arms and wide eyes focused on the elegant, sparkling diamond on his ring finger. 

“So when’s the after party?” 

Whipping his head to the side, Louis nearly gets whiplash from all of the people around him. Niall comes up behind them with a bottle of champagne in his hand raised high into the air, Liam and Zayn huddled behind them. 

Sometimes he still can’t fathom seeing them in the same room - Liam and Zayn have been long distance until just a few months ago when Liam moved out to be with him. Now he owns a small business there and Zayn owns his own art studio, and they’ve called to give them updates but it’s nothing compared to the way they’re glowing right now, curled into each other and beaming. 

“I can’t believe you’re all here,” Louis repeats, throwing an arm around Niall’s neck and tugging him close. 

Niall’s always been his closest friend but after the trip a few years ago, he decided he wanted to travel. Louis watched him work extra shifts, save up for months and months until he had enough. Then he bought a used Toyota minivan, renovated the back to have a place to sleep, loaded up, and left. 

“Wasn’t gonna miss this,” he scoffs, “besides, s’not like Haz would let me, anyway.” 

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you were in town,” Louis pulls away, slapping him in the chest. 

“Pretty sure that would’ve ruined the surprise,” Liam smiles, leaning forward for his own hug. Nothing has changed about that - Liam still gives the  _ best _ hugs. He sees Zayn shuffling awkwardly behind him after congratulating Harry, and that just won’t do. 

Since Liam moved they’ve been talking on the phone a lot, Louis and Zayn, and they’ve gotten a lot closer. Shrugging Liam off and ignoring his offended noise, Louis moves on to wrap his arms around Zayn tightly. 

“Congratulations, Lou,” he says, the corners of his eyes crinkling. 

“Thanks, Zee,” Louis grins. 

Harry’s hand reappears on his lower back and Louis leans into it, glancing up at him. “They’re actually coming over tomorrow,” he says. “I’m making lunch for all of us and they’ll get to see the new place.” 

So Harry’s thought of everything. Louis reaches up behind him and leans up on his toes to press a kiss to his cheek. 

“We know you’ve got a lot of people to talk to, so we’ll see you tomorrow,” Liam tells them, slipping his hand back into Zayn’s. “C’mon, Niall.” 

“Save some of the champagne for tomorrow,” Louis calls after him. 

“No promises!” 

Shaking his head as the gym door slams behind them, Louis wraps his arms around Harry’s waist and sighs happily into his chest for a moment. The unfamiliar weight of the ring on his finger makes him bite his lip, hiding his blush in the material of his shirt. 

The only people left when he looks around are his students. They’re all hard at work as usual, some of them blowing out the candles, others picking up some stray confetti. In the corner, Adrian is carefully putting away all of the lighting equipment they’d used earlier in the night. 

Louis tugs Harry over with him to where they’re all standing. 

“Thank you for everything,” Louis tells them, “you’re all the best students I could ask for.” 

“They are, they made everything easy for me,” Harry agrees, nodding at a few of them. 

Adrian waves them off, hopping down off of the short ladder when he finishes putting everything away. “I didn’t actually break the projector, Mr. T,” he clarifies happily, giving Louis a side hug, then pauses. “Actually, wait - s’it Mr. S now?” 

Before Louis can answer them, there are others speaking up, throwing out suggestions for his new name. 

“Ooh, or we could combine them! Y’know, like, Mr.  _ Ts _ or something,” his student makes a hissing sound with their mouth. 

“Or Mr. Stylinson!” another shouts. 

“Okay, okay,” Louis laughs, addressing all of them, “I’ll get back to you guys with a name, yeah? Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.” 

“Does this mean we get to be in the wedding?” Adrian links his fingers together and raises a hopeful brow toward Harry. 

“You will most definitely be  _ invited _ to the wedding,” Harry tilts his head, chuckling. 

The group of them cheers loudly, beginning to disperse back to their things and get ready to leave. It doesn’t take long for them to unclip the photos and notes from the lockers since his students have cleaned up everything else, Louis holding them close to his heart. 

He almost doesn’t want to leave when they’re the only ones left and Harry nods toward the exit, but he figures what’s waiting for them is so much more exciting. He slips his hand into Harry’s and holds the photos and notes with the other. 

“After you, Mr. Styles,” Harry grins, holding open the door for him. 

It has Louis pausing for a second, staring fondly at Harry as they get into the car and pull out onto the road to get back to the flat. He’s still staring as they get onto the highway. 

“That’s the one,” Louis replies. 

Harry’s brows furrow and he glances sideways at Louis, still rubbing circles on the back of his hand as he drives. “What do you mean?” 

“Styles,” Louis tells him. “Louis Styles. That’s my favorite.” 

The smile that falls easily onto Harry’s face is so bright that it nearly blinds him, the moonlight reflecting in it. 

“ _ You’re _ my favorite,” Harry teases. When they pull up to a red light Harry leans across and kisses him, warm and familiar. Louis clings to it just as desperately as he did the first time they kissed years ago, just like he will for the rest of the years to come. 

Pulling into the driveway, Louis wastes little time in unbuckling and throwing open his own door, hurrying to tug Harry out of his side and get them out of the cold. Harry scrambles to keep up with him even with his longer legs, pressing the lock button on their key until it beeps. Louis pulls him into the lift and corners him, eagerly pressing their floor. 

“Someone’s eager,” Harry teases, nuzzling the side of Louis’ chilled face. “There’s no rush, love. We’ve got the rest of our lives.” 

Blushing as the doors open again, they stumble out and across the hallway to their door, giggling into each other as they both turn the key. Louis’ ring glints under the light. 

Once they make it in he corners him once more and leans in, kissing him slowly. Harry’s hands come to rest on either side of his face, a gentle sigh falling from his lips into Louis’ mouth. It’s warm and familiar and lovely, and Louis smiles privately up at him when they part. 

“You’re right,” Louis returns, stepping back and kicking off his shoes. “And I’m not going to waste a single moment of it.” 

Huffing a fond laugh, Harry dimples and understanding settles over his features, the same look he always gives Louis. Love. Love, love, love. 

“Well, then. I guess we’d better get started.” 

Louis squeals as Harry rushes forward and tosses him over his shoulder, the world spinning as he gets a mouthful of the fabric of Harry’s shirt in his mouth. Just before they make it to the bedroom, Louis glances up as they pass the tree set up in the lounge, the  _ Happy Christmas  _ ornament sparkling. 

He tucks his grin into Harry’s back and laughs. A happy Christmas indeed. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> if you liked this fic, you can reblog it [here](https://soldouthaz.tumblr.com/post/637173083700084736/can-you-keep-me-close-can-you-love-me-most-6k) :) 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr and twitter @soldouthaz !


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